A Fighting Angel

I met Kim, circa May '94.  It was my first job as a professional nail technician, I was 17.  The salon I worked at proved to be a learning experience in a positive and negative way.  The negative:  the owner was a gypsy, paid the technicians with money orders (???), then eventually stopped paying and disappeared.

The positive:  I learned how to deal with failure and rejection.  Just learning my art and making a lot of mistakes along the way however, the light finally came on and I "got it".  Clients were soon requesting me...my application time became more efficient.  I was becoming more confident with my skill as a nail tech.

Someone else there, was beginning to learn her skill too.  When I first saw her (I vividly remember this), she was sitting at her station filing her nails, something she was found doing often, at idle times, through out the whole time I knew her.  She had long, strawberry-blond hair and was wearing a button-down flannel shirt, ya know the ones with the quilting inside?  May I introduce to you, Kimberly Dawn.

She totally had attitude, in fact we did not like each other, at first.  I was more the gangsta rap chick and she was more the Metallica, Harley-ridin girl...two completely opposite individuals...why would we like each other?  She thought I had an attitude too, lol.

Turns out that was just our defenses lockin in or our guard goin up...ah, we have something in common.  Another positive thing that came out of that first job was our friendship.

A year later, my mom and I opened our own Tan & Nail Salon. I asked her if she would like to work with me again, there.  To my delight, she accepted.  How cool is it that you get to work with your best friend!  In my life, best friends have came and went but ours always remained.

Kim and I did a lot of stuff you can imagine that two, young, single girls would do.  We smoked, drank, experimented with some drugs, had loser boyfriends that we couldn't seem to shake, lol...except she eventually got wise and dumped him...I, on the other hand, married mine, smh.

I can thank her for that...well, kinda.  She went to school with him and one day we went to one of her parties and there he was...and that was it!  Although she warned me plenty of times "not to go there"...I failed to listen...a pattern in my life, it seems, lol.

We shared a passion for buttered noodles...waaaaay before Noodles & Co invented it.  She loved Barney...that's right, the purple dinosaur. We used to always tease her about that.  I once got her a Barney ice cream cake for her birthday.  It came with a little Barney figurine, which she adorned her nail station with.  Then one day, I played a cruel trick on her and took Barney and hung him from her table light, as if he committed suicide, lmao!  She was not happy... Really you had to be there, it was funny at the time!

I'll never forget our Vegas trip in '99...I was OBSESSED with the band, Sugar Ray at the time and I was determined to see them live (serious crush on lead singer...can anyone say, Mark McGrath)?  I found out that they were going to perform in Vegas so I made some cheap arrangements and asked if she wanted to go...I would've went by myself, no joke... to my delight, Kim accepted my invitation!

We were there for two days and man...they were jam, packed, 24 hour fun!  Danced the night away at Studio 54 one night, saw the concert the next.  Managed NOT to gamble the whole time we were there....well, except at the end.  Our flight was leaving out at around 1pm.  Kim gets up in the morning and insists she's going to the casino to gamble, I declined and slept some more in our room.  She comes back 2 hours later with $1500 in her hand...lucky B@#tch!!!

That's it...I'm going!  So we decided to pack our things and be ready to leave for the airport but before leaving, we both went down to the casino lobby and played what I knew best, poker...and guess what?  Yeah, I won too!!! Not as much as she did, more like $800 but when you're on your way out of Vegas, that is a HUGE accomplishment!  So, Kim treated us to a limo, not taxi, ride to the airport and off we were back to Chicago...good times.

My family had bonded with hers (moms, aunts and uncles), both loved riding Harleys and checking out bands at the local bars. I got to know her dad (her parents were divorced) by the many visits to her house (she and her only other sibling lived with their dad)... and her mother.  I can see where Kimmie got her tough side from.  Donna was a good woman that had dealt with a lot of tragedy in her lifetime.  You can see the pain in her face but her eyes twinkled with love and affection for her son and daughter, nieces and nephews!

We were super-tight for the first 6 years of our friendship but then she quit her post at the salon and began to work in the "office". She was forever in school...she was younger than me (by 5 mos) but graduated a whole year earlier...can you say "over-achiever"? lol

Anyways, she was always studying criminal justice and wanted to work in something field-related to that.  I mean, the girl was always in school (did I say that already)?  We joked that she'd never be done.

Well, in 2000 I was having my first child.  At this point, she had been dating the guy she eventually married.  It was around this time that our lives were going in different paths and we didn't see each other as often as in the past. 

We always kept in touch though, time-to-time, meeting up at the local bar.  We went to her wedding (I think it was in '02) and unfortunately she had just suffered the lose of her beloved father right before the wedding.  It devastated her.  But she was tough, she put on her happy face and pressed forward.

Soon I was learning of her move to Florida.  Her mom had already made the transition there.  We kept in touch still, always trying to hook up when she came back in town but her visits were brief, usually family related and I did not fit into the schedule.  No hard feelings though, I totally understood.

The last time I spoke to her was in early '06...I had just divorced my husband and was giving her the latest on that situation and she updated me with news of becoming a mom for the first time.  She was excited and she sounded peaceful and content.

We lost each other's numbers and had no further contact.  A couple of years ago, my spirit was telling me of a close friend who was hurt or worse, dead.  I actually thought the friend that was "in trouble" was a child-hood friend of mine from my elementary years.  I ended up finding Lisa and she was perfectly healthy and happy.  But I still had a need to find Kim.  I tried periodically but was unsuccessful.

In Illinois, licensed professionals can look up license status', so one day I did and it showed that her nail tech license was "NOT RENEWED".  Now, I know she lived in Florida, why would she need to keep her IL license?  Well anyone in our industry knows that it would not be wise to let your license expire, no matter where you lived.  It doesn't take much to keep it active.  This information disheartened me but I chucked it off as, "well maybe she wasn't interested in keep it after all".

Every so often, I would search her name on Facebook, but nothing. I forgot what her married name was, maybe she's listed only with that name? Then I remembered to search Donna, Kim's mom.  I FOUND HER MOM!  Her profile looked new and not updated often.  Still, as privacy measures goes with Facebook, I was not her "friend" yet and wasn't able to view her complete profile.  But wait!  Her profile posted a comment she left on Kim's, husband's profile...that's it!  I got her married name now, now I remember!

So I clicked on his profile, sent a message to him asking him to relay my contact info to Kim so that we could get in touch.  This was done at around midnight.  Not expecting a response til at least, the next day, I got one almost immediately!  YES, FINALLY I CAN HOOK UP WITH MY LONG-LOST FRIEND!

Not quite.  I had received the awful news that she had passed, losing her battle with breast cancer in July 2008.  I WAS IN SHOCK!!!! How come I didn't know of this?  I would've visited her, prayed for her...been able to say good bye.  It broke my heart.

I just found this out a week ago.

I can't stop thinking about her, it's like a dream where you think for a moment that it is NOT a reality that she is actually gone.

I had so many questions.  I had asked her husband a few, then I found Kim's cousin, whom she was very close to, on Facebook. I felt more comfortable asking her...ya know, a woman-to-woman kinda thing?

Anybody who knew Kim, knew her trademark was her beautiful, long hair.  She would NEVER cut it but eventually did end up losing it due to her treatment of cancer.  She was always fighter, never giving up until the very end.  She had wigs made out of her natural hair but it was too hard for her to wear them.  She wore other wigs instead.

I wanted to get into contact with Donna, Kim's mom, but found out that she took her daughter's death rather hard and gave up her will to live, peacefully on the last day of 2009.

My heart goes out to Harley, Kim's beautiful little girl, who won't ever know of her mom except for memories of her.  Kim's husband who lost the love of his life and is now a single dad...and let me tell you how much that little girl looks like her mommy...apparently has her mommy's attitude too, lol.  How bittersweet, to look at his daughter and see his wife in her everyday.  And for Kim's brother, who lost his entire, immediate family - father, sister and mother- all too soon.

It is a tragedy and a curse...I pray the curse ends right now!  The Moore/Czarnecki family has endured enough tragedy to last a lifetime...it's time to be re-born again and claim the everlasting life of victory against the enemy!

Help me pray for this family and for others suffering the same calamities within their families.

We love you and miss you, Kimmy but have peace knowing that you are in better place now and that this life here on Earth is just a passing-through journey into eternal life in Heaven...Can't wait to see you again!

CALI-fied

I am obsessed with California right now! If I could, I would move there, I envy those who do (Dee...well not so much you, you're 5 hrs from the beach, but closer than I).  Seriously though, I've never even been there! So why the obsession?

Living in the Midwest all my life, one can get bored of the erratic weather cycles.  I love the ocean and right now I wouldn't go near the Atlantic (...can anyone say BP)?  So the next best thing is the Pacific coast...yeah!

A dream of mine would be, to be the nail-tech-to-the-stars or be an educator for one of the top two nail manufacturers, whose headquarters are in, can u guess? ... Hollywood, CA!

Specifically though, Hollywood is NOT the zip code in Cali I prefer..it's more like 92130...or San Diego.  I'm dreamin about getting a little 2 bedroom cottage on the beach, you know the ones that cost like $850,000 but only have about 900 sqft.  Start my own nail biz...Oceanside Nails...that's right, literally on the beach, hookin up dem nails!

Who thinks I can make 2 G's a week doing nails on the beach?  Hey, lets get technical and break this down:

2000 divided by 32 (avg cost of nail service) = 62.5

That means I need to perform at least 62, err lets round it off to 63, nail services per week or 13 per day to make goal...do you think it's possible?

That's alot of nails per day...I think I'll stick to what I'm doin here in da Chi and make it a goal to own a beachside cottage and label myself  a "snowbird" and live in Cali P/T...have the best of both worlds...just sayin ;-)

Black, Gray and White Nails

So I've recently been using black acrylic on some of my clients and I'm really lovin it.  Not too long ago, black nail polish was my fav color to wear..it reminded me of a shiny, black car (my fav also...ooh and black tints are now legal in Illinois in the front windows...just sayin)...My fav: black cars, black tints, black rims, black nails...I see a pattern here, hmm.

Now so far I've done all black nails on a client and most recently I did a "tuxedo" nail which consisted of a white tip and black base...this is all done with colored acrylic, not polish...therefore there is NO wear or tear.  Of course the finishing touch is the gel top coat that gives it it's ever-so-brilliant, never dull, cannot be penetrated, long-lasting shine!

I've been admiring these talons but did not want to duplicate on myself, I needed something original.  For those of you that don't know me well, I only do my nails...I am WAAAY TOO PARTICULAR for anybody else to do my nails...a fellow nail tech, whom I've asked to do my nails on occasion, WILL NOT cuz she knows my standards and frankly, gets nervous by my critiquing.

OK so, I'm still tryin to think of some cool creation with my black acrylic...IDEA: I narrowed it down to a black "french", ya know, instead of a white tip, it's black!  OK, so what about the base?  White...a reverse of my "tuxedo" nail?  NO! Not feelin the white.  I got it...grey!  Yes, that's what I want, black tip with grey base.

I don't have a grey acrylic powder but customizing colors is a fav of mine too and I have all the components I need: black and white make grey, right?  Perfect, let's get mixing!

I also have a clear glitter acrylic, so I decided to mix that in as well...So now I have a solid black tip with a sparkly, metal-grey base...LOVE IT!

I also love to stripe so after my finished product I messed around with some different striping designs.  This is easy to do when your nail and it's entire color, consists of only acrylic because the acrylic is set, no drying time. So if you're playing with painted designs and don't like it, simply wipe off with acetone and start over, never compromising the nail!

I ended up with a simple, diagonal line that goes from the outer corner to the inner corner of the nail... Viola, my design is complete...oh wait, not just yet...gotta seal it with my... handy-dandy notebook!  J/K, that was the Blue's Clues fan comin out in me (got kids)?  OK, I mean my handy-dandy UV gel topcoat/sealer, I mentioned earlier...this seals everything, even the acrylic!  Tid-bit: acrylic is a porous product, meaning it can be penetrated BUT gel is not therefore, slap that gel topcoat on and what you get is a super-shiny nail that will look as good as the first day you got 'em done, all the way up til your next fill, your nails are completely sealed, no worries...shine-on, baby! 

Longer-Lasting Manicures

Are you wondering if there really is a chip-free polish?  Well there isn't.  Don't get me wrong though, there is a gel lacquer that is considered to be chip-free but for those that are looking for a more natural alternative to a longer-lasting, not gonna chip in two days, manicure- then follow these simple steps...

1. Start of by giving yourself a mini-manicure: apply cuticle treatment CND a.h.a. Cuticle Eraser .5 oz., then gently push back cuticles, filing nails to desired length and shape, then buffing. Don't use a coarse buffer though, one that has a 180 grit or higher will do. Clean off dust particles, then follow up with massaging cuticles with CND SolarOil Cuticle Treatment .5 oz. , then wash your hands. Apply hand cream Aveda Hand Relief 4.2oz / 125ml.

2.  Prepping your nails for polish: This is a crucial step in preserving your polish because if the nail bed is not properly cleaned before applying polish, it won't adhere properly, which will cause peeling or chipping...not want we're tying to achieve here.  OK so, spray nails with alcohol - I prefer spray as opposed to wiping, the direct contact is much more efficient - my fav brand is from Sally Beauty supply stores, it has a cherry-almond scent, much more desirable than the hospital aroma usually associated with alcohol. Wipe with a lint-free wipe. This is important too because you don't want those pesky "fuzzies" interfering with your paint job.  Lastly, apply  OPI Bond-aid Ph Balancing Agent 1oz  which hydrates nail bed but assures all access oil is removed.

3. Applying Polish Coats: After your prep work is done now you can begin polishing.  Start with your base coat Creative Nail Design Stickey Base Coat 0.5 Oz. Be sure to cap the free-edge of the nail, this is VERY IMPORTANT with each coat, it will ensure your chip-freeness!  Follow with your desired nail color and honestly I don't believe any brand of nail color is better than the other, what matters the most is your prep work, base and top coat but most importantly, how each coat is applied...CAP YOUR EDGES!  Also, don't use thick layers or thick polish.  The exception to this rule however is with the top coat Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat .5 fl oz , this is the bestest top coat EVER! This coat should be applied generously.  Wait about 5-10 minutes and nails will be dry to the touch, however the under layers are not quite dry but no fear...take your Solar Oil I suggested earlier and apply to each nail; gently rub oil over nail and your safe to be carefully mobile without any smudging.

4.  Daily Care:  After initial application of polish, apply your top coat once daily.  This will preserve the brilliance of the polish and ensure no chipping.  After 7 days however you'll want to completely remove and start over...too many layers will begin peeling.

So there you have it, all the steps and products you need for an awesome manicure that everyone will think you went to the salon for...go ahead, you totally get bragging rights, here! =)

"Green" Friendly Fashions

Wow!! It's been a long time since my last post. I promise to never leave you like that again...I was having technical difficulties, however the computer geek in me has prevailed!


OK so, it's Springtime yet again. For those of us in the Midwest, this is a very exciting time!



Springtime is the manifestation of all things new so what a perfect time to redo your wardrobe. In the spirit of going green, it is very trendy to recycle. Lets face it, if you're not at least pretending to go green, there should be a bit of guilt on your conscience...no worries though, there is hope =) So what are some ways we can achieve a new look without breaking the budget or better yet, touching it at all- at the same time, being "Earth Friendly"? Now that's what I'm talking about, new fashion, using old pieces = $0 spent, feeling great cuz you look great and you can brag to all your friends that your ensembles are completely "green"!




Now, if you're unlike me and have a clue on how to use a sewing machine, this ability can come in handy for achieving your new "green" wardrobe. The spa that I work at just had an "Earth Month" fashion show fundraiser and the fashions had an element of recycling in each piece. For instance, a wedding dress made from a bed skirt, a bustier top embellished completely with safety pins or skirts made of candy wrappers, just to name a few. I would of never thought of something like that on my own and when I first heard of it, I wasn't impressed...until I saw the finished piece, SUPER COOL, LOVED IT!







Begin by shopping at your local thrift store. Allow a couple of hours though cuz you're going to have to go through each rack and sift through to find the perfect piece. Once you've found that skirt or top, begin thinking about it's potential and how you can revive its existence. This could mean, shortening the length of the skirt, adding ruffles or sewing on those candy wrappers you've saved, be creative!






When your creation is complete, pair it with an understated piece...so, if you have that skirt with ruffles made out of candy wrappers, wear it with a simple tee or tank and then accessorize (that's my favorite part)!

You can do this with the pieces that are already in your closet and for those of us that don't know how to use a sewing machine, find someone who can or just pair old pieces with new pieces and add accessories like a belt, a long necklace or a shoe in a super, hot shade.



Here's a few guide lines to follow:

• Pair a vibrant, bright color with a practical neutral






• Don't over accessorize... one bold piece and one bold accessory, no more
• mix it up-edginess paired with girliness...so no big, curly hair with that ruffled top; a messy pony with a few flat-ironed pieces will do.
• Don't forget to be confident and smile, smile, smile =)

So that's it! Now go into your closet and start imagining what that 5 year old skirt can be...have fun!

Electirc Nail Files : Are They Safe?

I have been a nail tech for 16 years and I've used a nail drill for about 14 of those 16 years. So I guess you can say that I am an advanced operator of this tool.

An electric file or e-file is just that...a tool. In my world this "tool" is imperative for me to use in order to deliver the best possible experience and end result for my customer.

For me to not use this tool is like a carpenter not using a nail gun and hand-pounding nails with a hammer...very time consuming and not very precise, in my opinion.

In the fast-paced world we currently live in, time is a very valuable commodity. Customers who desire artificial nail enhancements really don't have the time to sit for two hours every other week in order to maintain their enhancements.

This is why those "other" shops have grown so much in recent years. They provide a quick service at an affordable cost. However, the saying "you get what you pay for" is relevant in these next paragraghs.

Those "other" shops have given the e-files a bad reputation. Any tool that is improperly used can be harmful.

Going back to the carpenter and his nail gun... if the carpenter is moving too quickly and/or not paying attention and taking for granted his ability to use this tool, he can inevitably miss his target and...oops, nail goes into his finger and not the intended piece of wood. Get what I'm trying to say here?

An e-file can be a safe, efficient tool when the operator who is using it is properly trained and NEVER takes for granted their ability. For instance in my case, I've been using a drill for many, many years and can easily think I'm a pro and take for granted my ability to use such a tool. You know what happens when we take things (or people) for granted? Yep you guessed it, it's never good.

With my many years of experience, it's still very crucial for the success of my ability to constantly keep myself educated on new developments and techniques. We must continue to learn in order to grow.

OK , going back to the "you get what you pay for" statement. Those "other" shops pride themselves on giving you a quick, in-and-out experience and they spare no expense to them. It's alledged that a lot of the operators in those shops are not even licensed nail technicians...scary. They don't care about your well being, just the money you're going to hand them at the end of the service...scarier. When you express any concern toward them about the service they're providing you, in most cases, they don't care and blow you off like you're stupid for wanting a shorter length...of course, because they'll charge you MORE for the talons you really want, right?

They use products with ingredients that are illegal and that's why you never see original packaging of the products they use...it's a secret, "shhh...don't let this idiot know that this product I'm using can potentially harm them...might cause infection, respitory illness, or even an allergic reation...but hey, the product's cheap to manufacture, which means cheap prices for the idiot getting the service...who cares if I'm drilling out their natural nail...we're all gonna die eventually...let's just speed up the process for these folks and make us richer in the end!"...scariest!!!!!

For a funny imitation of an "Asian nail shop experience", click this link.

OK that might've been a harsh portrayal but you get the point. I can write a whole other blog on the deadliest lengths those "other" shops go to in order to make money off you and hurt you in the end. But that's for another time...

Lets keep focus...

Now is the Q & A of e-files you've been waiting for: (the following information was provided by Nails magazine for the nail professional and Vicki Peters , vice president of Vicki Peters Signature Series for Kupa Inc, the manufacturer of the one and only drill I use).

Q: Do electric files damage nails?

A: In the hands of an untrained technician, an electric file can be damaging to nails. With the proper training and responsible use, an electric file is safe to use on nails.

Q: Do electric files burn the natural nail?

A: Electric files do not burn the nail. A tech controls the machine and determines how much pressure is applied to the surface of the nail. The rule for heat is: Pressure causes friction, friction causes heat. If pressure is not applied to the surface of the nail, the nail will not get hot. If the drill bit is fresh, less pressure is needed. Constant movement and light pressure is the best technique for minimizing heat with all types of bits. Sometimes heat from pressure can be caused by the client’s tense finger pressing up against the bit as the technician is working. Taking the time to explain the theory of pressure and friction to clients will work to relax their fingers to avoid causing discomfort to their nails.

Q: What’s a ring of fire?

A: A ring of fire is created when the surface of the natural nail is filed too aggressively with a file or electric file. Red, painful patches develop on the nail plate. Electric file users sometimes cause rings of fire when improperly using a barrel bit at the cuticle area. When used at an angle in the cuticle area, the barrel bit’s edge cuts into the natural nail.

Q: Can you use an electric file on the natural nail?

A: Yes but only with synthetic, rubberized soft drill bits that are made specifically for use on the natural nail. They can safely prep the natural nail, remove excess cuticle from the nail plate, and buff the nails, and even remove ridges.

These are just a few of the most popular concerns the general public has on this topic. I hope this answered any of your concerns regarding the e-file.

Now back to the "you get what you pay for" statement. In most cases, when you buy cheap, cheap is what you get. I'm employed by a salon that is anything but cheap. A high-end salon and spa that provides the best of the best in services and products. Our prices are not cheap however our service ranks high on our standards of performance.

However time is money to most of us, so why not get an exceptional nail enhancement service by a professional you can trust to give you a quick service that does not skimp out on it's quality?

Michelle Moody is a licensed nail technician at Spa Bleu in West Dundee and South Barrington, Illinois.

Nail Disorders: What Are They & What Do They Mean?

As a nail tech, I've seen ALL kinds of different nail disorders, so as an informational tool for you (and me, it's been awhile since nail school) the following is a list of the most commons types of nail disorders and photos giving examples of how each may look like.

The most common question I get asked is "what causes theses ridges in my nails"? I'm always curious as to how long their nails have been in such state and usually it almost always was not a very long time.

This may or may not come as a surprise to you but the condition of your nails is a tell-tale sign of how healthy you are. Ever wonder why you had to take off your nail polish before any major surgical procedure? That's because the docs can monitor (among others ways) the condition of your body's circulation.

This is true for certain types of health issues you may be experiencing - your nails shall not lie.

Now, back to the "ridges" issue...

Ridges can signify a possible infection such as the flu. Horizontal ridges such as Beau's Lines are transverse depressions that occurs when growth at the nail root (matrix) is interrupted by any severe acute illness e.g. heart attack, measles, pneumonia, or fever. These lines emerge from under the nail folds weeks after acquiring such an illness:





Another horizontal ridge disorder is referred to as Mee's Lines. Again, transverse white lines that run across the nail, following the shape of the nail moon. Uncommon. Usually occurring after an acute or severe illness.






Vertical ridges may simply indicate a kidney disorder (kidney failure); associated with aging; iron deficiency (Anemia). May also indicate a tendency to develop arthritis.





Pitting

Pitting are small pits or depressions. Most common nail problem seen in 25- 50 % of people with psoriasis.






Spoon

Soft nails that look scooped out. Depression is usually large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often indicates iron deficiency such as anemia.

Onycholysis (nail fungus)

This is VERY common! Don't get this confused with nail mold, a nail fungus looks white and milky, not green. Onycholysis is the lifting of the nail from the nail bed. Most common causes are: trauma, psoriasis, drug reactions, bacterial/fungal infection, contact dermatitis from using nail hardeners, thyroid disease, iron deficiency anemia or syphilis.

Onychauxis (thickened nails)

Thickened nails can be a result of a variety of illnesses or diseases such as: diabetes, psoriasis, nail fungus, heart conditions or peripheral vascular disease...just to name a few.

Nail discoloration, in which the nails appear white, yellow, or greenish, can result from different infections and conditions of the skin. In about 50% of cases, discolored nails are a result of infections with common fungi that can be found in the air, dust, and soil.

These are just a handful of nail disorders and their common causes... hope this clarifies any grey areas you may have had regarding any "skeptical" nail issue you may be experiencing or have experienced. Or if you're like me, this was simlpy an educational tool...and now you can say you "learned something new today".